Behind the iron curtain
by You-drive-me-nuts-miller
Summary: Cooler based one shot - what was going through Jess's mind after the iron curtain closed?


**The third in my Cooler based trilogy of one shots/internal drabble. (The others being 'Not Like This' and 'One, Two, Three'.**

_So I guess I am his cooler,_ was her first thought when the door slammed shut and she realised, yes, she did want to kiss her roommate Nick Miller. _When did that start? How did it happen?_ In that moment she didn't know but she could see it clear as day. Subconsciously, she had not wanted to see him with someone else; why she had butted heads with Julia, hated Caroline and just felt, well, awkward around any other woman he was with.

Casually playing with her phone, she watched him try to wrench open the door. _Maybe I should help him?_ The thought passed her mind... "Hey, let's just suck it up and French a little," was what actually came out of her mouth though.

* * *

"This is not a big deal, let's just do it," she said as his hands took hold of the bare skin of her arms and he stepped closer. So this is really going to happen...

"Just kiss me." Not, let's do this, or let's kiss. You kiss me. Take charge.

Moving his head towards her this face bore such a serious expression that a bubble of nerves rose in her throat and she wrestled her face from his hands. "Your face!" It was a far too serious expression for her to cope with.

"Okay I'll do something different with my face!" was his promise as he resumed his earlier positioning, caressing her face, staring into her eyes. This time, however, he tried to smile, which just made her want to laugh. This isn't quite what I was expecting.

"You can't kiss with your teeth!" This made him pull away and resume his tapping at the iron door. _So I guess that's that then_, she thought, sighing and walking away.

* * *

Sinking to the floor, she gave him the truth, "Nick, I'm going to admit it, I might be your cooler, I chalk it up to bad timing."

"Well, thank you for admitting that," he replied truthfully.

"But to be fair," she went on, "You are your own cooler like 70 percent of the time. Some basic grooming Nick and you'd be smoking hot." Turning to look at him she felt the truth in her statement; he had the potential, most certainly. As ridiculous as he now looked in a ladies trench coat, he had that glint in his eye and that scruffy dark look that she found so appealing.

"So you do wanna kiss me then," he goaded her.

"All bets are off if you take a shower," she admitted with a smile.

"That very nice of ya," he laughed. Then he did something unexpected; placed his hand on her knee, the kind of intimate gesture that you would not usually expect from a roommate. Her eyes flashed to his hand where it lay and then back to his face. A strange feeling descended over her, _what on earth? _She curved her lips into a small smile as his eyes met hers and a silent moment passed. _Is he feeling this too?_ More small, personal smiles were exchanged. _Okay, so maybe this _is_ going to happen-_ until the moment broke with the sound hammering on the door behind them.

* * *

"No, not like this!"

"Wait? What?" she responded in confusion. His face twisted and turned as she saw something flashing through his mind and he babbled away. Inside her own mind was working overtime - _what does that mean? Not like what? Has he thought about kissing me before? What is going on!_

But before she had time to gather her thoughts he began to make his escape, moving melon headed Nick onto the floor and climbing out of her bedroom window.

"Wait, you don't have to kiss me!" she cried after him, and meaning it. More than anything she wanted to discuss what had just happened.

* * *

Acting normal with Sam and heading to bed with him had felt, well, weird. She was still buzzing from her earlier encounter with Nick and it was a little hard to concentrate.

It was not that much later when she heard the scratching again. Instinctively she grabbed her robe, not waking Sam, but instead calling for Nick. _Hmm_, she mused, _funny how I call on him._

And of course he came straight away.

* * *

"Well, I guess the old Nick is back," she chuckled as they walked back to the bedrooms. The trench coat was gone so perhaps, whatever magical spell it had placed over the two that evening, was gone too. She felt a little sad at this; trench coat Nick had shown her another side to this grumpy mystery.

* * *

Their adventure was over and it was time to return to reality.

"Good night Nick," she'd said, patting him on the arm, looking him briefly in the eye

"Goodnight," he'd replied quickly as she began to turn towards her room. Suddenly, before she knew what was happening, she felt his hand grab her elbow, swiftly spinning her back to face him. Without a seconds hesitation, he lunged for her lips. At first he didn't seem to know where to place his hands and neither did she. But as the kiss deepened, she felt herself swept along on a wave of pure passion - the desire in his embrace, pulling her along. She clung to his neck, pressing her body as close to him as she could; enough the feel of his firm hands exploring her back. Losing her sense of time and place, she forgot her boyfriend was sleeping less than six feet away and could discover them at any moment.

There was a pause, punctuated by the heavy breathing than only an intense moment can induce; he rested his forehead on hers. Although she couldn't open her eyes, she felt his breath on her face, momentarily stunned. Cupping her face he then reached down to give her two, sweet, tender, yearning kisses which almost tipped her over the edge. _What was going on? Why am I feeling this way? Who knew Nick Miller was such a damn good kisser?_ All these thoughts and more assaulted her at the same time as she tried to steady her breathing. But he wasn't done. Tipping her head so their gaze met, he stared deep into her eyes and said, "I meant something like that."

And before she could respond he began to slink away from her. She searched his face for something more, some reasoning, meaning; but was still unable to speak, unable to process what has just happened. Merely able to raise her fingers to her bruised lips and feel the burn his kisses had left behind.

* * *

Two am, three am, four am. She gave up trying to sleep. All that she could think about was his mouth on her mouth. The spinning, dizzying feel it had given her. The million questions rushing about inside her. The prickle of guilt when Sam moved in his sleep. But most of all, what was she going to do about her roommate.

** If you like it let me know and I will do more based on other episodes! **


End file.
